Chair construction



.15mg-22,1967v A 'I A. BCENZIN'G .3,337,265

CHAIR CONSTRUCTION Filed March 4,v 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet l I A @f2/76216@ iig/@m02 Aug. 22,1967,v J'. A. BENZING `CHAIR CONSTRUCTION 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 4, 1965 United States Patent O 3,337,265 CHAIR CONSTRUCTION .lohn A. Benzing, Menominee, Mich., assignor to Heywood-Wakefield Company, Gardner, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Filed Mar. 4, 1965, Ser. No. 437,138 3 Claims. (Cl. 297-285) This invention relates to improvements in chair constructions and more particularly to rockable or rocking type chairs.

The conventional rocking chair having a pair of arcuate or bow shaped rockers axed to the legs is well known. Likewise, there are a variety of rockable chairs known as platform rocking chairs. While these constructions have broad utility in many respects, their mode of operation presents certain problems in many areas of use.

For example, conventional rockers take up a considerable amount of space and tend to be somewhat unstable especially for elderly persons when seating themselves in or arising from the rocker. The experience of overrocking rearwardly and the tendency to Walk or creep while in use and to mar lloor surfaces is also well known.

The spring loaded -or Ibalanced platform rocker also suffers from some difculties, particularly in the fact that the chair seat, arms and back rest portions are pivoted and likewise do not provide a steady, lirm support for persons who either arise from or seat themselves in the chair.

The difculties of these conventional rockers become especially acute when they are used by the elderly or the infirm in nursing homes, hospitals, or retirement centers where precautions against injury by falls or slips are of paramount importance.

Accordingly, one of the objects of the present invention is the provision of a rocking type or rockable chair construction which is of durable construction, but does not require the use of floor engaging arcuate rocking elements.

Another robject is the provision of a rocking chair which does not require protruding rocking elements for operation.

A stillfurther object is the provision of a rocking chair construction which has a non-rocking base engaging the iloor while in use. Y

A still further object is the provision of a rocking chair construction which has a sturdy grip andarm support portion secured to t'he base and is relatively immovable with respect thereto.

A still further object is the provision of a rocking chair construction wherein the seat and back rest portions are movable with respect to a base, comprising side arm supports and legs, which rests stationary on a oor or other supporting surface.

A still further object is the provision of a rocking chair which cannot be over-rocked either forwards or backwards in conventional operation.

The fulfillment of these and other objects will be more readily apparent by reference to the following specification, appended claims and attached drawing.

Having reference to the attached drawing:

FIG. 1 is a perspective View of the rocking chair construction of the present invention from a rear quarter;

` FIG. 2 is a side View of the frame of t-he rocking chair of FIG. 1 without cushions;

FIG. 3 is another side view of the rocking chair frame 0f FIGS. 1 and 2, in rearward rocked position;

FIG. 4 is a bottom perspective view of the rocking chair of FIGS. l, 2 and 3, also without cushions;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the lines 5 5 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the chair of the presentvinvention from a front quarter;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view of FIG. 6 taken along the line 7-7 of FIG. 6, without cushions; and

FIG. 8 is a bottom perspective view of the chair construction of F-IG. 6 without cushions.

Broadly, the rocking chair of the present invention cornprises a unied base having a pair of side members unified and fheld in spaced relationship toeach other by interconnecting cross members. Each of the side members is provided with front and rear legs rising and joined at their upper ends by a horizontal arm support. A chair seat and back frame is located between the side members and arm supports and secured to the base via a U-shaped spring member and is adapted to reciprocating spring balanced rocking movement between the said side members.

Referring particularly to FIGS. 1, 2 and 4 of the drawing, there is illustrated a rocking chair of this invention 10 comprising a pair of side members 12 and 12a, each of which has front 14, 14a and rear 16, 16a legs, and which are integral with an arm support member 18 and 18a. Thus in side member 12 the front 14 and rear 16 legs are in a generally vertical spaced relationship to the horizontal, being joined at their upper ends by arm support member 18 which is generally parallel to the floor surface, and which are engaged by the feet 20 of each leg. As may be seen in the drawings, particularly FIG. 2, t'he legs 14 and 16 are disposed at an angle slightly greater than with respect to arm support 18so that the legs 14 and 16 are splayed slightly in the side member 12 and the feet 20 of the legs fa'll outside of a point directly perpendicular to the ends of the arm supportv 18. Side member 12a is the same as 12 in the relationship of the legs 14a and 16a and arm support 18a, and forms its complement. Elongated hand `or arm rests 19 are also shown on each of the arm supports. The arm rests 19 need not be in any particular form and may be eliminated if desired, although they are valuable as gripping members in this particular construction.' A cushion 11 is also shown inFIG. 1 which need not be in any particular form anddoes not`in itself form a part of this invention. f

Side members 12 and 12a are each provided with spring supports 22 and 22a which span the space between the legs 14, 14a, 16 and 16a of theside members, in 'generally horizontal position, and spaced from the horizontal arm supports 18 and 18a and leg ends 20. Since the side members 12 and 12a are complementary, the spring supports -22 and 22a are positioned identically in each side so as to provide a plane of reference which is parallel to the plane established by the leg ends 20. Each of the spring supports 22 and 22a has a major flat or horizontal sector 23 and a pair of ends 24 which, as shown in the preferred embodiment, curve arcuately upwardly (FIG. 2) of the flat sector 23 of the spring support 22 and the plane of reference described thereby to meet and join cross front member 28 and rear cross member 29 and the respective legs. The total eiiect is a boat-shaped cradle which has a flat sector 23`where the load of a chair occupant is focused. The spring supports 22 and 22a are axed to the legs on the inner surface thereof in face to face relationship, as shown in FIG. 5. As indicated, ends 24 of the spring supports 22 and 22a joined by cross members 28 and 29 hold the side members in complementary parallel spaced relationship and form a unified base structure of which the arm inverted U-shaped supporting sides are an integral part, firmly engaging a door surface.

Leaf spring member or more particularly flat U-shaped spring and seat supporting means 30 and 30a are affixed to the fiat sectors 23 of the spring support members 22 and 22a. The mode of attachment, as shown in FIGS. lof the drawings, is by rivets 31 or other similar fasteners which secure the one leg of each U-shaped spring member to the sector 23. The other leg of the resilient U- shaped member is affixed to a frame 32, which together with associated support elements 36 and 37 `define a seat 34 and back rest 35 portion for supporting a cushion 11, as shown in FIG. 1.

The securement of springs 30 and 30a to the sector 23 and frame 32 is at a point on the flat portion removed from the bow end 38 of the U. Thus when the rocker is occupied by a person, the maximum stress or force is placed 0n the bowed portion 38 of spring 30 and 30a. The point of securement permits the spring to react in response to stress by deformation of the bow 38 as shown in FIG. 3, causing however the portion of the at spring sector adjacent the elements 23 and 34 to depart slightly from a face to face relationship. This mode of attachment has been found advantageous since the tension is a more even and linear response to movement of the occupant than if secured closer to the bowed portion 38.

As shown in FIG. 2 the point of juncture 40 of the back and seat portions 35 and 34, respectively, of the chair is inside of the juncture of spring supports 22 and 22a and the rear legs 16 and 16a. This gives the chair stability since the center of gravity of the seat when loaded falls within the area of the base supporting leg ends 20, as shown in FIG. 3, when the chair is stressed or in rocked position.v The meeting points 42a and 42h, as shown in FIG. 3, prevent excessive articulation and the possibility of over-rock in the backwards direction. The bowed ends of elements 22 and 22a permit the chair seat and the fulcrum area to be lowered and provide the increased stability resulting therefrom. The cross braces 28 and 29 atiixed to ends 24 of supports 22 and 22a are also removed from the area under the chair where ones feet are often placed. Forward over-rock is effectively prevented by the nature of the spring attachment. Rear- Ward motion permits stress to be placed on part of the straight leg sector of the U-shaped spring when the flat portion adjacent the bow 38 moves away from the associated support elements. In forward rocking the movement forces the elements 34 and 23 against the legs of the spring 30 permitting maximum deformable stress on the bow only. This has the effect of distributing the load on a shorter sector of spring, and its resistance to forward movement is accelerated more rapidly.

Thus the direction of rock is by the nature of the spring means and construction limited to almost all rearward motion. Thus the chair in use normally rocks from a generally upright position to a rearward position.

A further advantage mentioned above is that the arm and base members form a means of supporting a person who is arising or seating himself in the chair. The support is rmly engaged on the floor and is therefore less likely to move away or from under the person using it.

It should also be pointed out that the rear legs 16 and 16a are preferably at a more obtuse angle than front legs 14 and 14a (with respect to horizontal arm supports 18 and 18a) to give a slight rearward cant or sloping effect to the arm supporting sectors and the chair as a whole.

Another and a particularly preferred embodiment of the chair construction of the invention is shown in FIGS. 6, 7 and 8. In this embodiment all of the elements of FIGS. 1-5 are essentially the same, differing merely in the location of the spring support .elements 22 and 22a, which are located between cross members 28 and 29 spaced from the point of joinder of the cross member with the legs 14, 14a and 16 and 16a. The points of location indicated as nume-ral 44 show the support members in the same generally parallel and vertical spaced relationship, but inwardly toward the central plane of symmetry of the chair. Of course the aixation of the spring elements 30 and 30a to the seat in this embodiment, rather than the frame requires sturdier support elements 45 and 45a shown as tubular square cross-section tubing in FIGS. 6-8. For purposes of convenience elements 36 are also shown as square tubing in this embodiment.

One major advantage of the construction shown in FIGS. 6-8 is that the spring support elements are moved under the seat to prevent accidental pinching of hands by persons using the chair.

The construction of the chairs is such that the seat and associated back rest are free to articulate between the stationary arm supports on the base of the chair. It will be appreciated therefore that a construction which eliminates protuberances or parts which will catch clothing, is desired. The particular embodiments illustrated herein are constructed from steel tubing of square cross section in the framework. Round rods in the support members 36, for example, may in the alternative be other shapes, such as the square tubing shown in FIGS. 6-8. It will be understood that other structural materials and shapes may also be used.

Likewise a variety of styles of ornamentation, decoration and the like is possible without destroying the effect of the basic structural features and their particular adaptability.

The chair may also be adapted for outdoor furniture by suspending a webbing across the framework of the seating and back rest portion as is commonly done, or Iby the use of formed or molded plywood, fiberglass reinforced plastic sheet, or metal for the seat portion.

While several particular embodiments of this invention are shown above, it will be understood, of course, that the invention is not to be limited thereto, since many modifications may be made, and it is contemplated, therefore, by the appended claims, to cover any such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of this in- Vention.

I claim:

1. A spring balanced rocking chair comprising a unified base having a pair of side members including floor engaging leg means and generally horizontal arm support means, cross members connecting the side members to form said base, spring supporting means disposed in a generally horizontal position between the cross members and parallel to and spaced inwardly from the legs of the side members, and a pair of U-shaped flat spring members, one leg of each of which is aixed to the spring support means of the base, a unified back and seat means aflixed to the other legs of the U-shaped spring members, the U-shaped flat spring means being secured to the spring support and chair seat members at points on the legs of the U, and spaced from the bow of said U, permitting a dat portion of the legs of the U spring between the securement and the bow to iiex angularly away from the said support means on maximum rearward rocking motion but restraining flexing of the flat leg portions on rocking motion forward of normal, the back and seat means being supported on the spring means and adapted to rock on the same between the side members of the base.

2. The chair of claim 1 wherein the spring support means have a spring carrying portion which is with respect to the horizontal lower than the point of attachment to the legs of said side means.

3. A spring balanced rocking chair of claim 1 wherein the seat and back portion axed to the spring means is UNITED STATES PATENTS 5/ 1921 McColIough 297-302 X 4/1935 Larsen 297-300 Johnson 297-286 Lowry 297-302 Simmons 297-300 Phenix 297-300 DAVID J. WILLIAMOWSKY, Primary Examiner.

FRANK B. SHERRY, Examiner.

G. O. FINCH, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A SPRING BALANCED ROCKING CHAIR COMPRISING A UNIFIED BASE HAVING A PAIR OF SIDE MEMBERS INCLUDING FLOOR ENGAGING LEG MEANS AND GENERALLY HORIZONTAL ARM SUPPORT MEANS, CROSS MEMBERS CONNECTING THE SIDE MEMBERS TO FORM SAID BASE, SPRING SUPPORTING MEANS DISPOSED IN A GENERALLY HORIZONTAL POSITION BETWEEN THE CROSS MEMBERS AND PARALLEL TO AND SPACED INWARDLY FROM THE LEGS OF THE SIDE MEMBERS, AND A PAIR OF U-SHAPED FLAT SPRING MEMBERS ONE LEG OF EACH OF WHICH IS AFFIXED TO THE SPRING SUPPORT MEANS OF THE BASE, A UNIFIED BACK AND SEAT MEANS AFFIXED TO THE OTHER LEGS OF THE U-SHAPED MEMBERS, THE U-SHAPED FLAT SPRING MEANS BEING SECURED TO THE SPRING SUPPORT AND CHAIR SEAT MEMBERS AT POINTS ON THE LEGS OF THE U, AND SPACED FROM THE BOW OF SAID U, PERMITTING A FLAT PORTION OF THE LEGS OF THE U SPRING BETWEEN THE 